Undefeated Tigers, Troubled Tech Visit Tully

FSU vs. Clemson * Friday, October 3 at 7:00 pm

Tully Gymnasium (2,500) *

Live on the Sunshine Network

FSU vs. Georgia Tech * Sunday, October 5 at 1:00 pm

Tully Gymnasium (2,500)

FLORIDA STATE

Lady Seminoles
* Record: 13-2.
* Conference: 1-1.
* Current Streak: Won 1.
* Lately: FSU finished last week 1-2 with losses to #3 Florida and North
Carolina before defeating NC State for its first ACC win of season.
* Series vs. Clemson: Florida State holds the lead in the series, 10-6,
but Clemson has won the last 5 regular season matchups.
* Series vs. Georgia Tech: The Lady Seminoles trail the Jackets in the
series 2-9. Tech has won the last 8 matches dating back to 1993.

* Georgia Tech visited Clemson Tuesday night with the Lady Tigers pulling out a 4-game win 15-2, 15-9, 7-15, 15-10 in front of 1,032 fans to remain undefeated at 14-0 on the season.

LAST YEAR

* The Lady Seminoles were swept by both Georgia Tech and Clemson during the regular season. Tech also eliminated FSU in the opening round of the ACC tournament. FSU did put up a fight at home taking Clemson to 5 games and Tech to 4 before falling.

OPPONENT NOTES

* Clemson’s impressive 14-0 only ranks as the second best for the Tigers. Clemson’s previous bests all came in the 1990s with 15-0 in ’92 and 14-0 in ’94.

NOLE NOTES

A DOZEN TO START

* Florida State rolled to victory in its first 12 matches of 1997 marking the best start in program history. FSU also nabbed tournament championship in its own FSU Classic, the All-Sport Michigan Challenge, and the Florida Atlantic Tournament. The Lady Seminoles previous best start came in the 1982 season when FSU opened up 8-0.

SUPER SEPTEMBER

* FSU’s 1997 September record is quite a turnaround from a year ago. The Lady Seminoles finished at 10-2 last month. In 1996, Florida State was a lowly 1-10 in the month of September.

IN THE RANKS

* Florida State was 33rd in the latest AVCA/USA Today Volleyball Coaches Poll released Tuesday. Clemson is ranked 29th. Maryland is the only ACC team in the Top 25 at #19.

GAME AFTER GAME

* In winning 36 of their first 37 games this season, the Lady Seminoles compiled an impressive 27-game winning streak. The 27-game streak is the second longest in school history. FSU won 36 games during a 21-match winning streak in 1981.

NO MERCY

* FSU has had little mercy for its opponents in 1997. The Lady Seminoles have won 39 of 46 games played thus far this season outscoring their opponents 649-361. Florida State has outscored visitors to Tully Gym 302-158 in seven home matches.

GET THE BROOM

* The majority of FSU’s opponents have left the match emptyhanded. 12 of Florida State’s 13 wins have been 3-0 sweeps. FSU has lost only 7 games this season, the fewest among ACC teams.

HOLD THE SCORE

* The Lady Seminoles have held their opponents to under 10 points in 33 of their 46 games in 1997. FSU has swept seven opponents by holding each to under 10 points in all 3 games. In fact, Georgia Southern scored just 8 points against the Lady Seminoles in FSU’s commanding 3-game sweep.

MORE, MORE, MORE

* In each of its fourteen victories, the Lady Seminoles have had more kills, more assists, and more block assists than their opponent. Overall in block assists, FSU leads opponents 192-64. Plus, Florida State has limited its attack errors with fewer than its opponent in 14 of 15 matches in 1997.

PACKED HOUSE

* FSU’s 2,782 fans in a standing-room only crowd for Wednesday’s match with Florida set a new attendance record for the Lady Seminoles in Tully Gym. “It’s always been a goal to get the fire marshall in here,” said head coach Cecile Reynaud following the match. Tully Gym’s capacity is listed as 2,500.

FIGHT TO FIVE

* Florida State and Clemson have battled through marathon matches in Tallahassee in each of the last 4 seasons. FSU and Clemson have each won 2 five-game matches in Tully over the 4-year span. The scores… 1993 FSU wins: 15-7, 16-14, 8-15, 12-15, 15-11…

1994 FSU wins: 13-15, 15-5, 15-4, 10-15, 15-11…

1995 FSU falls: 16-14, 1-15, 9-15, 15-9, 3-15… &

1996 FSU falls: 15-7, 15-8, 12-15, 10-15, 17-19.

TROUBLED TECH?

* Since joining the ACC in 1991, FSU has yet to face a Georgia Tech team at or below. 500. (Tech is currently 8-10.) In 1996, FSU faced a 17-1 Tech team in its first meeting of the season. In 1994, Tech was 11-5 coming into its match with FSU.

PLAY THE PERCENTAGES

* Florida State is making each kill count this season. Thus far, the Lady Seminoles have a .319 hitting percentage, 3rd best in the nation. Individually, Aisha Thornton’s .429 mark ranks her at #3 in the country. Opponents, on the other hand, are averaging just .134. Only 2 opponents, UF and UNC, have managed to hit above .200 against FSU in 1997.

NOLES ON TV

SUNSHINE NETWORK TALENT

* Tom Block (play-by-play) and Lisa Gunning (color commentary) will once again call the match.

SECOND OF FOUR

* FSU’s match with Clemson is the second of four scheduled to air on the Sunshine Network. FSU battled UF on TV last week and will meet Wake Forest and North Carolina on Sunshine in October.

TELEVISION TIME

* Florida State has made the most of its TV time over the past 2 seasons. Since 1994, FSU’s ACC matches on Sunshine have averaged 2 hours, 10 minutes.